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Southborough

The war memorial in the town of Southborough, outside Tunbridge Wells in Kent, is a wheel cross of blue Forest of Dean stone on a tapering octagonal pillar on a plinth and a four-stepped base. The plinth has a moulded cap which includes a cornice with floriate decoration within squares. Around the top of the plinth is a dedication, the names of the fallen of World War I are recorded around the faces of the plinth with those of World War II around the base of the plinth and on angled pieces of stone set alongside. The fallen are listed under the regiment in which they served. The memorial stands on Southborough Common and is surrounded by a post and chain fence.

In 2001/2 English Heritage offered a grant of £175 towards the costs of a condition survey which would provide a report and recommendations for repairing the memorial.The appearance of the memorial was deteriorating in that it was spotted with lichen and some of the enamel on the lettering was missing. In addition there were cracks to the cap and the memorial had started to subside. These were assessed as part of the works.

In 2015 a grant of £2,270 was offered through War Memorials Trust Grants Scheme, supported by the First World War Memorials Programme and voluntary donations, towards stone cleaning with water and brushes to improve the legibility of the inscription and re-painting the lead lettering to match existing.

In 2017, a further Professional Advice Grant of £360 was awarded, again through the War Memorials Trust Grants Scheme. This supported a professional assessment of the structural stability of the cross and considered the cracks which were present on the memorial.

In 2018, further to the survey being undertaken £6,180 was awarded through the Grants for War Memorials scheme supported by Historic England and the First World War Memorials Programme. The works undertaken included re-pointing the memorial with lime mortar, filling and lime mortar repairs to cracks, localised cleaning and re-painting of lettering. In addition, the damaged stone cross at the top was removed and replaced with matching stone. As the memorial is listed it was subject to the planning process and Listed Building Consent was obtained to undertake the works.

The memorial was built by Messrs Wood and Wallis of Tunbridge Wells and unveiled on 13th February 1921. The dedication on the memorial reads:

"To the glory of God and in memory of the men of this place who fell in the Great War 1914 – 1919"

Further information

War Memorials Trust reference WM525
UK National Inventory of War Memorials: 1536

War Memorials Online: 120994

If you have a concern about this memorial please contact the Trust on conservation@warmemorials.org

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